Several user disposable sleeves are known that have outer surfaces adapted to conform to the inner surface of an ear after a foam outer portion is compressed, inserted into the ear canal, and allowed to expand. These sleeves are adapted for releasable attachment to sound controlling devices or structures and are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,880,076; 5,002,151; 5,920,636; and 6,310,961, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. These patents show user disposable sleeves that are adapted for releasable attachment to sound controlling devices or structures having truncated conical outer surfaces diverging in cross-sectional size from their distal ends and having abutment surfaces spaced predetermined distances from their distal ends.
While such sleeves, when engaged with the sound controlling structures, can provide suitable interfaces between the sound controlling structures and the inner surface of an ear in which the sleeves are positioned, those sleeves may either be more expensive to manufacture and/or more difficult to remove from the sound controlling structures than may be desired for some applications. A need remains for improved user disposable sleeves.